Pin Cushion Wristbands

These pin cushions are very useful accessories.  With it strapped to your wrist, it goes where you go and you won’t have to worry about your pins being out of your reach.   I saw a pin cushion similar to these in a picture, and thought “Wow, what a good idea, I bet I could make that!”    Now that I have made a few and love using them, I have typed up instructions  so you can make your own.   As soon as my apprentice is available we’ ll take photos and then I’ll post a picture tutorial.  Until then Happy Sewing!

Finishing The Set

So, today I decided to work on a hat and scarf to match my gardening apron.  I wanted something with a fairly large brim and Velcro closure in the back.  Since my hair is so thick and curly I wear it either pinned up or in a poofy pony tail, so I thought I’ld make a visor instead, cause then I wouldn’t have to worry about where to put all my hair.  I  made a few removable brow bands for inside the visor to absorb perspiration.  Then I also drafted a scarf pattern as a cover up. It didn’t take me long at all to draft the patterns so I went ahead and stitched them up this morning.  It all came together quite nicely I think.  I am going to love wearing this set.

I also started on my set of cloth napkins for my kitchen. I want to make sure that we don’t run out before it’s laundry day so I plan to make 3 dozen of these. I think that might be enough.

My New Gardening Apron

I just finished this gardening apron as a birthday present for ME! Dh bought home this funky printed fabric with flower pots and I immediately knew that it was for making this apron. He tried to find an apron to buy for my birthday, but he couldn’t find any of good quality. So he and DD decided to get me fabric to make my own instead. He knew that I really wanted one. Now normally I would design and wait before I actually drafted a pattern, in case I want to change something. Then once the pattern is drafted I wait before I actuallly cut the fabric, again in case I want to change something. Then once the fabric is cut, I wait before I start the construction. No, not in case I want to change something, at this point it is sort of too late for that, unless I want to commit more fabric or hack up what I have already cut. It’s so that I am fresh and rested and not frustrated when I sit down to sew. It’s more relaxing that way, since I’ve gotten all the tedious stuff out of the way and I can sit, listen to my music and create. Ahhhh… SO anyway back to this apron. This time I did not follow protocol I did it all form sketch to construction in 2 days! It turned out great. I am so anxious to show it off that I will go ahead and post the pics and come back to post more details and correct type-O’s later. LOL!

Ok… The best part about this apron to me is that the bib snaps off so that I can wear just the bottom half alone if I want to. It also has a ton of pockets. 16 including one for my cell phone, mp3 player, pencil, seeds, note pad and eight large ones for bulbs or for harvesting a few things from my garden if I don’t want to tote a basket. Also there are 2 loops on the sides to hang garden tools from. Oh yeah, no laughing at the picture with the hammer in it. I just wanted to show the loops in action and I was too lazy to go out to the shed to get my mallet or some other garden tool just for the picture. LOL! I am very happy with the end product!

The Kitchen Garden

These are pictures of my garden last fall.  I started pretty late last year so I didn’t get as much out of it as I would have liked, but I think what I did manage to get turned out lovely.
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definately can’t beat fresh organic produce from your own garden!

I love to grow from seed.   I usually have pots of something starting for seasonal gardening.    This year I plan to get more done in the garden. Right now I have sugar peas, cucumbers, radishes, squash and zuchini, purple basil, direct planted in the ground.  While I have some tomato plants that are still doing ok after the frost we had a few weeks ago, I just started some  beef steak tomatoes along with bell peppers and eggplant indoors. I’ve still got cabbage and collards, onions, radish and carrots growing well, but when those are spent I’ve got plans for those beds. I ordered a bunch of seeds from Tropical seed company and I am excited to try some things that I haven’t grown before. Sometimes I am tempted to grow things just because it would look  nice in the garden,  lol!… but mostly I like to grow what I know my family will eat. Like this delicious herbed sandwich bread. YUM!

I’ll update with more pics of this years kitchen garden as it transpires.

Happy gardening!

JNash

Ok, I’ll play along

I’ll start a blog, … don’t ask me why it has taken me so long to do it.  It’s not like I am computer illiterate or anything.  I guess I just couldn’t wrap my mind around why one would create a public forum in which to share personal information.  You see I may have convinced myself that I am a private person.  Private people wouldn’t blog right?  But I am willing to test that theory.  I’ll share the things and parts of my life that I am comfortable with sharing, we’ll see what it amounts to. ; )

Blessings,

JNash